ICE took this DREAMer into custody after she spoke at an immigrant rights rally

#FreeDaniela

It’s been only a week since the last DREAMer, Edwin Santiago Romero, was
taken into ICE custody. Although his case was promptly solved, it might not be
the same for the fourth DREAMer who was detained by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement officials on March 1.

Daniela Vargas spoke at an immigrant rights rally in Jackson, Mississippi
on Wednesday morning. But after speaking at the news conference, she was pulled over by ICE and taken into custody, according to the Associated Press.

At the rally, the 22-year-old shared her encounter with ICE two weeks prior, when her father and brother were detained in a raid at their home.

“My dad had just given me a kiss and said 'bye. I was asleep.
Then I don’t know how much time later … my dad said, ‘Danny, immigration is
here.’”

Vargas barricaded herself in a closet and refused to come out. When ICE
officials reached her, she was temporarily handcuffed and then released when
she told them she was a DREAMer. The college student arrived in the US when she
was seven years old on a visitor’s visa.

“A federal immigration judge will now determine Ms. Vargas’s custody status
as well as decide whether or not she is eligible for immigration relief. “

This case has once again raised concern among DREAMers.

Vargas’ attorney is still trying to understand how this happened after she
was let go when her family was detained.

“Then two weeks later, she’s picked up
randomly after being involved in a public event,” Peterson told BuzzFeed News. “Does
that mean ICE is following people? Do people always have to be looking over
their shoulder, losing sleep, and afraid to go outside their homes?”

Before the rally, Vargas had planned to move out of the state with her
mother and continue pursuing her dream of becoming a university math professor.
At the rally, she expressed her concerns about not achieving this:

"Now, I'm not so sure
my dream will continue to develop. A path for citizenship is necessary for DACA
recipients but also for the other 11 million undocumented people with dreams."